kalk reactor advice
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I run a modified version of the square design by DJ88 on Reef Central. It works well. I am on version 3 and have made quite a few changes between revs. If you have tools and experience with cutting and gluing acrylic, it's a piece of cake. If not, there are some special tools needed to make it that will push the cost close to a comercial unit. The major cost in a CA reactor is the CO2 tank/regulator, recirculation pump, pH controller, etc.
i am actually thinking about building a <u>kalk</u> reactor...one where i can dump in the powder and have the maxijet mix it up. also unlike some of the diy's i've read about i would like to have it pull water right out of my sump rather than through the ato.
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you want to build two of them?
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slayer77;113112 wrote: cory... i built my 8 inch by 32 inch reactor... swing by and i'll tell you/ show you/help you build it...
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Why'd you make it so big? How much top off does your ATO put in at a time?
i have a big system approx 700 gallons.. i was losing about 15-20 galls a day during this summer and was constantly filling my old reactor with kalk. (it didnt have enough volume to mix and because of the fast evap rate it kept dosing kalk instead of supersaturated water.) I decided to make this beast so it would decrease my burden of doing so,, plus with my calcium demand it keeps my ca at around 540ppm (along with my ca reactor)..I've had to fill this twice in the last 6 months.. plus i looked around for kalk reactors, and the cheapest unit i could find (used) was going for around $200.. and this was a 6 inch by 18 inch unit...it cost me less then $200 to build this bigger unit... The only thing i wish i had done was place a drain valve...i can still do it , but will wait until its time for a kalk refill...
Sure thing cameron...anyone one that wants a hand to build one, come on over.. ..
Sure thing cameron...anyone one that wants a hand to build one, come on over.. ..
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20 gallons top off a day?!! Criminy. Yeah, you'll need a big one then.
yeah.. my 120 gall fuge, 120 frag tank, and 50 gall sump are all in my garage... i run 2 20 inch box fans, and 5- 8 inch fans over them during the summer to keep my tank cool... chiller kicked on maybe 6 times the whole summer.. alot of evap.. very evident in the garage when looking at my rusting tools...
I agree this sounds like a good workshop project and I have been looking to do this also! Maybe we can get like 5 to ten of us together and buy all the suff we would need (together of course to get bulk discounts) and make these. Maybe a weekend in Jan??
i just talked with jaime and he is going to post his list of parts later on today. it looks like it will be around $175-$190 for a 6''x30'' reactor made of 1/4'' acrylic. this price is of course also dependent on what size maxijet pump you use as a stirrer.
i'm in, please post if you are also interested so we can see about getting some bulk/shipping discounts...
i'm in, please post if you are also interested so we can see about getting some bulk/shipping discounts...
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i think that would work as well hell if i had the acrylic i would give it a try
